Fire-escape.



PATENT-ED MAY 12, 1903-;

H R. COLE. FIRE ESCAPE. APPLIOIATION mam JUL-YBL-VIQUZ.

THE "cams PETERS cc. PHOTOJJTHO WASHINGTON 0.1L

Parana patented May 12, 1903.

FHCE.

.H'IRBERT R; COLE, OF MILLVILLE, NEvV JERSEY.

FiFiE- ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Application filednl'uly 31,1902.

Patent No. 727,748, dated May 12, 1903.

Serial No. 117.884. (No model.)

To all/10720722. it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERBERT R. COLE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Millville, in the county of Cumberland and State of New Jersey,haveinvented anew and useful Fire-Escape, of which the following is a speci fication. This invention relates to fire-escapes of that class which maybe designated as portable, the same being made of a size which enables them to be conveniently carried in a trunk or even in the pocket of a traveler, and which in the event of an emergency may be in a moments time attached and utilized as a means of escape from burning buildings.

Mypresent invention has among its objects.

to provide a device oi this class which shall occupy but very little space, in which a reel upon which is wound a sufficient length of rope for ordinary emergencies shall be so arranged as to be under absolute control in the unwinding thereof by two sets of brake mechanism, one of which is automatic in its ac tion, and in which provision shall be made whereby the person using it mayso attach it to his person as to prevent danger of slipping.

With these ends in view myinvention consists in the improved construction, arrange ment, and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly A pointed out in the claims.

p In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective cape, showing the same in position for use. Fig. 2 is a side view of thesame. Fig. 3 is an end View; Fig. 4 is a detail view.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by like characters of reference. The frame of my improved lireescape, which may be described as being mainly rectangular in shape, is composed of the side pieces 1 l and cross or end pieces 2 and To the lower end piece 3 is suitably'attached, by means of an eye 4, a chain or strap 5, the free end of which is provided with a snap-hook 6 or equivalent means of attachment to the eye 4, which will enable the said free end when the chain or strap 5 is looped around thewrist of the person using the device to be I quickly and reliably connected with the said jonrnaled between the said One'of the ends of the shaft view of my improved fire-es eye. Gther means of ously be used if found 1 1 of the frame are provided with for the shaft 7 of a "reel or attachment may obvibearings drum 8, which is sides, and upon a wire r0pe,is wound,

7 is extended beyond the frame and squared so as to be readily engaged by a crank, whereby the rope may be wound upon the reel. This, however, is not absolutely essential.

The upper cross-piece 2 of the device is mounted loosely in the side pieces 1 1, so that it may freely turn therein. The said crosspiece 2 is provided at or near'its center with a perforation l0, and the parts of the crosspiece adjacent to said perforation may be flattened, as shown at 11. This flattened portion may be omitted; but the edges of the perforation should be smoothed or rounded, as shown at 12, so as to avoid injury by friction to the rope 9, which passes through said perforation. The cross-piece 2 is provided at the end thereof with a yoke 13, spanning one of the side pieces 1 and having a link 14 attached thereto. This link is adapted to engage any one of a series of notches 15 in the edge of the side piece 1, thereby holding the cross-piece 2 securely at any position to which it maybe turned. Nowit will be seen that when the said cross-piece is in what maybe termed its normal position the perforation 10 therein is in a vertical position, thus permitting the rope 9 to pass freely therethrough which the rope 9, usually when unwound from the reel 8. When the cross-piece 2 is turned, so as to bring the perforation 10 out of a vertical plane, it will engage the rope 9 frictionally when it is being unwound, thus causing a greater or less degree of resistance to the unwinding, according to the angle to which the perforation 10 has been set and at which it is retained by the link 14, engaging the notches 15. It will be seen that-"this device forms an automatic brake, whereby the degree of resistance to the unwinding of the rope from the ground may be adjusted and regulated according to" the weight of the person using the device. In addition tothis automatic brake I provide a hand-operated brake consisting of a yoke 16, the ends of the arms of which are preferable. The sides means of which the brake maybe grasped by the perforated cross-piece 2 and the means 'however, is not an indispensable element of of the United Statesguide capable of effecting a variable defiec- 2 rev,

journaled in the sides 1 of'the frame slightly above the reel 8. The arms 17 of this yoke are slightly curved and flattened, so as to engage the heads or ends 18 of the reel, and the central part of the yoke formsa handle, by

and operated by the person using the device.

Pivotally mounted upon the cross-piece 3 is an arm 20, provided at'its vuppe'rend with a plurality of catches or ratchets 21, any one of which may be caused to engage the brake rod or handle 16, thereby keeping said brake an tomatically in engagement with the heads or ends 18 of the reel with any desired degree of pressure, and thus making it unnecessary for the person using the device to exert a hand-pressure upon said reel. This device,

the improved fire-escape, which, when desired, may be used withoutthis attachment. The rope 9 is provided at its free end with a hook 20, by means of which it maybe very easily and quickly connected with any suitable point of attachment.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. When an emergency arises, all that is necessary is to attach the hook at the end of the rope to any sufficiently-secure poili't of attachment. The strap or chain 5 is then looped around the wrist of one hand, which grasps the cross-piece 3, and made fast by means of the snap or fastening device 6. The link 14 is adjusted in one of the notches 15, so as te tilt the cross-piece 2 until the perforat-ion -'10 is set at a desired angle to insure the requisite degree of friction. The handle of the yoke or brake-l6 is then grasped with the other hand of the person using the device, who may now safely descend after passing through a window or other convenient exit. The rapidity of the descent may be absolutely controlled by means of the brake 16; biit if the person using the device should faint or lose self-contrdl the rapidity of the descent will nevertheless be sufliciently' checked by the automatic brake mechanism comprised.

for adjusting the same to prevent injury to the person using the device.

It will be understood that the cross-piece 2, with its perforation l0, practically constitutes a movable rope-guide, which may be tilted to various angles, thereby eliecting a variable deflection of the engaged portion of the rope, and thereby provi ng for the adjustment of the degree of friction between the parts. The means herein described for retaining the said rope-guide at the desired angle and other details of the device may be varied without de parting from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A fire-escape having a movable ropesee time of the engaged portion of the rope, and means forretaining the guide at different adjustments, substantially as set forth.

2. A fireescape having an singularly-movable rope-guide capable of efiiecting a variable angular deflection of the engaged portion of the rope, and means for retaining the guide at different adjustments, substantially as set forth.

3. A fire-escape having a retarding device consisting of a rocking element provided with a running-guide for the rope, substantially as set forth.

4. In a fireescape, the combination with a rope and dispensing means therefor of a tilting guide through which the rope extends, and retaining means consisting of a latch and a notched element cooperating therewith, substantially as set forth.-

5. In a fire-escape, the combination of a frame having a top cross-piece capable of turning in its bearings and provided with a perforation, a reel journaled in. said frame, a rope wound upon said reel and extending through the perforation in the top cross-piece, and means for retaining the latter at various anglee of adjustment, substantially as set fort 6. In a fire-escape, the combination of a frame a cross-piece journaled in said frame and having a perforation, a reel journaled in said frame, a rope wound upon said reel and extending through the perforated cross-piece, a 'yolre secured to the latterand spanning one of 'tlie'side pieces of the frame, a link con nected with said yoke, and a series of notches in the edge of the side piece of the frame adapted to be engaged bysaidlinir, substan tially as set forth.

7. In a fire-escape, the combination of a frame, a cross-piece journaled in said frame and having a flattened portion, a perforation extending through said flattened portion and having rounded edges, a reel journaled in the sides of the frame, a rope attachedto and wound upon said reel, extended through the perforated cross-piece and having means of attachment at its free'end and means ferretaining the perforated cross-piece at any po:

sition to which it may be turned with relation to the frame of the device for the purpose of regulating the degree of frictional contact between the perforation of said crosspiece and the rope passing therethrongh, sub stantially as set forth.

8. In a fire-escape, the combination ofa frame, a reel journaled therein, a perforated cross-piece, means for securing said crosspiece at any position to which it may be turned with relation to the frame, a rope attached to and wound upon the reel, extending through the perforated cross-piece and having means of attachment at its free end, a yoke having the ends of its arms journaled in the sides of the frame above the reel, and with said arms curved and bearing against the heads of the reel, forming" brake, and flexible means for connecting the wrist of person grasping the lower cross-piece of the frame with said crosspieee, substantially as set forth.

9. In a fire-escape, the combination of a frame, a reel jonrnaled therein and having a rope wound thereon and guided through a perforated tilting and adjustable cross-piece, a yoke forming a brake having the ends of its arms mounted in the sides of the frame, said arms engaging the heads of thereei and the central part of the yoke forming a handle, a

'bObliOlll cross 1 piece having means attached thereto forin'elosing and securing the wrist of a person grasping said. cross-piece, and an arm mounted upon said cross-piece and hav ing means for adjnstably engaging the handie of the brake, thereby holding the latter automatically in engagement With the heads of the reel with any desired degree of pressure, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT R. COLE. Witnesses: v

LEWIS A. SHAW, (Jens. F. HEADLEY. 

